Table of Contents
Job description
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians.
- Observe screen during scan to ensure that image produced is satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, making adjustments to equipment as required.
- Observe and care for patients throughout examinations to ensure their safety and comfort.
- Provide sonogram and oral or written summary of technical findings to physician for use in medical diagnosis.
- Select appropriate equipment settings and adjust patient positions to obtain the best sites and angles.
Become
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Diagnostic Medical Sonographers with little to no experience tend to make between $51430 and $60060 while the more experienced ones can earn over $86190 per year.
| Top 5 paying states | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| HI | $45 | $94,350 |
| AK | $45 | $93,740 |
| CA | $45 | $92,660 |
| DC | $44 | $90,860 |
| WA | $42 | $87,960 |
One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer is to move to a higher paying state like HI. Right now, the highest paying states for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are HI, AK, CA, DC and WA.
However, a higher pay at HI doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at HI might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.
Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.
Requirements
We asked other Diagnostic Medical Sonographers what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had an Associate’s Degree followed by a Post-Secondary Certificate.
Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician |
Pros and Cons
Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer.
| PROS |
|---|
| Suitable for people who likes to solve problems mentally |
| Suitable for people who values relationships between co-workers and customers and wants to work in a friendly non-competitive environment |
| This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors. |
| It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career. |
| Short working hours (Less than 40 hours per week) |
| CONS |
|---|
| Not suitable for people who likes to work with designs |
What is the job like
76% of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.
Is this right for me
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..
They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.
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Related career information
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers job description, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers salary, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers information, what is the job of a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer like, pros and cons about Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, colleges and universities for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, is Diagnostic Medical Sonographers the right career for me, careers in Healthcare and Medical
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Additional resources
Last updated: April 28, 2020
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Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians.
